Fiercely proud, these elite horsemen are raised from the sons of the upper classes and have a fearsome charge.

These men make excellent melee troops, riding hard into battle with their sabres drawn. Their only weakness is when facing well-disciplined elite infantry in square formation; this combination is one that proves deadly to slow heavy cavalry. Guards of Honour sacrifice speed for power, and are not expected to chase down an enemy. They are a brute force, a fist to smash against an enemy line, used to deal the blow that drives an enemy from the battlefield.

Following his disastrous campaign in Russia, Napoleon returned home and set about rebuilding his Grande Armee. Cavalry units were incredibly expensive to recruit, yet Napoleon managed to recruit 10,000 elite horsemen at no expense to France’s budget. He recruited new cavalry units from the nobles and bourgeois, who were expected to provide their own horses, equipment and uniform. In return they would be assured the rank of sous-lieutenant, providing they completed 12 months service. This qualifier was to prove extremely important, as desertion was rife amongst these pampered children of the upper classes.

While they are available only to the Kingdom of Italy and possess a unique appearance, Guards of Honour are statistically identical to generic Garde du Corp. However, only four regiments may be recruited. Possessing strong offensive and defensive skills, Guards of Honour can inflict fearsome damage on their targets provided that they survive closing the distance. Their ability to inspire troops allows them to act as a tougher, deadlier version of General's Staff. However, their high cost and slow movement make them attractive targets for artillery and small arms fire: while they are tough to kill in a melee, they are as vulnerable as any unit to missile attacks.